Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

SOAPBERRY FAMILY (SAPINDACEAE)
Key to the 6 species illustrated (Nos. 138-143)
A. Leaves simple, elliptic, the edges flnely toothed-142. I?loui?tfa pmtwtcaeie.
AA. Leaves compound.
B. Leaflets 3, elliptic or obovate, broadest beyond middle, shorbpointed at both ends, toothed on edges-143.
Thouinia striata.
BB. Leaflets pinnate, 4 or more (sometimes only 2).
C. Leaflets 4-8, not paired, with wavy-toothed edges, elliptic, those toward apex largest, rounded or notched
at apex-138. Cupanfa americana.
CC. Leaflets mostly mired, not toothed.
D. Leaflets 2-8, rounded or blunt-pointed at apex, on slender reddish or dark brown axis; fruit a
flattened seed capsul+l3& dlatal/ba domingensls.
DD. Leaflets long- or short-pointed at both ends, on axis often winged; fruit round, fleshy.
E. Lenflets 4, the pair at apex larger, fruit Y'-l% inches in diameter, edible-140. llielicoccue
bijftgatu8.*
BE. Leaflet8 usually 8-12, sometimes only 1 at end; fruit %-I inch in diameter, yellow, inediblc+141.
f3apindus saponaria.
138. Guara Cupania americana L.
This tree is characterized by : (1) twi4s and leaf
axes brown hairy ; (2) pinnate leaves with 4-8 alternate
elliptic or obovate leaflets, those toward
apex largest, rounded or notched at apex, shortpointed
at base, with aavy toothed ed es, the up-
per surface shiny grem and hairy on f
y on veins,
and the lower surface aler and densely soft
hairy; (3) numerous sma P 1 whitish 5-parted flowers
y8 inch across, in most1 terminal branched
clusters; and (4) the rounde I seed capsules 1/2-S/4
inch long, bluntly 3-lobed, velvety-brown or rustybrown
hairy, splitting into 3 parts and exposing 3
rounded shiny blackish seeds 5/ls inch long, each
in an omnge cup.
A small to medium-sized evergreen tree attaining
20-50 feet in height and 10 inches in trunk
diameter with a broadly spreading rounded crown.
The gray bark is smoothish or becoming rough and
fissured into plates. Inner bark is light brown and
sli htly bitter. The twigs are stout.
h e leaves are alternate, 5-10 inches long, with
stout axes. Leaflets have short hairy stalks l,--1/4
inch long and blades 1y2-6 inches long and 3/4-2%
inches broad and slightly thickened.
The flower clusters (panicles) 4-8 inches long
have brown hairy branches. Flowers are male,
female, and bisexual (pol gamous). There are 5
hairy sepals nearly l/s inc i: long; 5 hairy, narroxv
stalked petals about as long as sepals, each with 2
scales on the outer edges; 8 stamens on a disk; and
pistil composed of hairy 3-celled ovary with short
style and 3 stigmas.
Seed capsules common1 are many and crowded
in terminal branched c ?' usters, short-stalked at
base, opening widely into 3 parts, retaining the 3
seeds attached for some time. Flowering in winter
and early spring (December to March) and maturing
fruits in spring and summer.
The mood is Iight brown and hard, of medium
weight (specific gravity 0.4). Very susceptible to
attack b dry-mood termites. Used in Puerto Rico
P
chiefly or posts ,and oles and elsewhere for con-
struction and shipbui f' ding.
This s ecies has been su gested as an ornamental
and sha i e tree. The see 2 s and leaves sometimes
serve for medicinal Also a honey plant.
Forests, especially
coast, moist limestone,
of Puerto Rico.
PUBLIC FORESTS..-Cambalache, Carite, Guajataca,
Luquillo, Maricao, Rio Abajo, Susfia, Vega.
RANGE.-Greater Antilles and in Lesser Antilles
on1 in Dominica, Martinique, and Barbados, and
in grinidad and Tobago. Also in Colombia and
Venezuela.
OTHER COJ~MON ~~~rn.--guara blanca (Puerto
Rico) ; guiirana, guara (Dominican Republic) ;
guara, guara comGn, phrano, gudrana macho,
gukrana hembra (Cuba) ; guacharaco (Colombia)
; par&, patillo, zapatero, cabimo, guamo
guarB, guamo matias (Venezuela) ; candlewoodtree
(Barbados) ; maraquil (Trinidad) ; bois de
satanier (Haiti).
A closely related s ecies of para (Cupania
tvipuetm A. Rich.) in f?uerto Rico differs in hm ing twi~ and seed capsules with shorter yellowbrown
hairs and the seed capsules sharply 3-angled
and on longer stalks.